Here is a message from United Policyholders, a non-profit organization that has three-plus decades of expertise in post-disaster recovery, insurance, repairs and rebuilding.
From United Policyholders: Our staff and volunteers in the impacted states are safe, but the damage and suffering left in Hurricane Helene’s path is immense. We will be helping affected residents and businesses across the Southeast through our road-tested, practical insurance claim and recovery guidance and programming. Learn more at www.uphelp.org/Helene
If you or someone you know have been impacted by Hurricane Helene, here are United Policyholders’ recommended First Steps:
- Take photos BEFORE clean-up, disposal or repairs. Photo document all damage.
- Keep a daily journal with notes on conversations with insurance, repair, government, and other professionals, names, phone numbers, email addresses.
- Focus on drying/cleaning out, avoiding further damage and getting the damage inspected, measured, and estimated by qualified and reputable experts.
- Get a complete copy of your current home insurance policy and any other separate policies you may have in place such as auto, flood, wind, water line insurance, etc. Check your deductibles.
- If the damage is above your deductible, notify your agent and they’ll get your claim started. If you bought your insurance direct through an insurance company, notify them and they will open a claim and assign you a claim number. If you had only minor damage, it’s best to pay for repairs out of pocket.
- Most home policies cover damage from wind-driven rain and trees but exclude coverage for flood damage.
- Flood insurance policies have different deadlines and rules than home insurance policies.
- If you have a flood insurance policy, it’s probably a standardized “NFIP” (Nat’l Flood Ins. Program) policy. It also may be a “private” flood insurance policy (not NFIP).
- You may have damage that’s covered by both your home and flood policies.
- If an adjuster says damage isn’t covered, get an independent professional opinion before giving up on getting some or all of your claim paid.
- Give your home and/or flood insurer a chance to do the right thing, but advocate for yourself and be prepared to get professional help if you’re not being treated fairly.
- Register with FEMA even if you don’t plan to apply for aid or an SBA loan.
- Speak “UP” (politely push for fair treatment) If you hit a wall, file a complaint with your state insurance oversight agency and get qualified, reputable professional help.
For detailed guidance on getting started on the road to recovery, avoiding scams and making good decisions, visit www.uphelp.org/helene. You’ll find lots of free, road-tested info including tips, videos and sample documents on damage, debris removal, insurance claims and your legal rights, temporary housing, mold remediation, mortgage, loan and construction decisions and hiring qualified professional help.
United Policyholders is seeking grants and institutional funding to support the services we’ll be bringing to impacted communities in the months and years ahead. We appreciate individual contributions to help us be present in these early weeks when people are so completely overwhelmed and need our decades of experience and unique support.
About UP: United Policyholders is a non-profit organization that has three-plus decades of expertise in post-disaster recovery, insurance, repairs and rebuilding. We offer reliable strategies, information and pearls of wisdom and support. We’re rooting for you and here to help. No strings attached. We don’t sell our services or provide one-on-one professional claim or legal help, but we offer honest, free and experienced guidance and links to reliable professional and government resources.
info@uphelp.org |Tax ID: 94-316-2024 | www.uphelp.org
United Policyholders | 917 Irving Street, Suite 4 | San Francisco, CA 94122 US